The Prayer of Jabez

⁹ Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” ¹⁰ And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested. (1 Chronicles 4:9-10 NKJV)

This is a real treasure, a gem tucked away in the more difficult genealogies listed in the first 9 chapters of Chronicles. The man named Jabez, not wanting to live up to the meaning of his name, prayed to God. It's a good prayer, an example certainly, but not a magical formula as perhaps is being taught.

God is not a genie who will grant our deepest wishes, the fantasies of our evil little hearts (Praise God!). Instead of the selfish, materialistic things we rebels often wish for, God has a better plan. Five times on three different occasions (John 14:13-14, 15:16, and 16:23-24) Jesus told his disciples to "ask anything in my name" and He will do it. Based on these passages there are false teachers who claim that tacking "in the name of Jesus" on the end of your prayer guarantees that God must do exactly as you ask. When actually, "praying in the name of Jesus" means so much more! God has a much better blessing in store for you than you can imagine. Praying in the name of Jesus means to pray after the nature of Jesus; that is, with the heart of Jesus.

In Luke 12, after he shares the parable of the rich man, Jesus tells us not to consider the things of this world, but instead seek the riches of heaven. Sell your things and give the money to the poor. This is the true key to the prosperity of God! Be rich towards God, and He'll pour blessings back in faster than you can pour out. You cannot out give God. (See Malachi 3:10)

So, the prayer of Jabez might be better understood as “bless me and enlarge my territory by your power, so I might not sin and cause pain to others”. This is my prayer from Jabez’s example. "Bless me by enlarging the borders of my new heart of flesh by your sovereign power Father, and protect me from the evil desires of my old heart of stone, so I may not hurt others."

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
(Ezekiel 36:26-27)